Language…
8 users online: drkrdnk, Golden Yoshi,  MarioFanGamer, Oskise, pakkie, Papangu,  Telinc1, Zavok - Guests: 252 - Bots: 336
Users: 64,795 (2,377 active)
Latest user: mathew

00B: Blazing Brush - Magi/MrDeePay

Complete

Owner: Magi/MrDeePay

World: 2
Exits: 2
Theme: Swamp
Music Options: 1, 2, 3, 4, or compose your own.

Briefing: This is the second level of world 2. Although it should be similar in nature to the level prior to it (00A), keep in mind that you can introduce a couple of new ideas here as well if you wish.
So... um... well, I'll tell the idea already.

I was looking through the levels of this world, and I saw that they hadn't much of that "industralization destroys forest" thing. The idea here is: The forest is being burnt because Norveg wants to make a new factory. The level starts as your ol' calm forest, then there will be a cutscene showing Norveg's subordinates burning it and then the level gets more intense.

Since the level is in World 2, I won't overdo the fire gimmick (yes, the gimmick is: the forest is burning).

For further information, download the "early.ips" from my file bin.

Yep.

EDIT:PLASE NOTE THAT EVERY CUSTOM MAP16 TILE AND ExGFX FILE I USED ARE JUST PLACEHOLDERS, THE CUTSCENE ISN'T STILL DONE AND THE SECOND PART IS VERY EARLY, THANKS.

You can directly link your .ips by right clicking the link in the file bin and clicking "Copy Link Location" instead of just leading us to your filebin.

If I get around to testing this, I'll edit this post or make a new one depending on if there are any new replies.
Your layout has been removed.

Extras



I should have something witty to put here (even if it's just to update dated info), shouldn't I?

Advertising Space


No, no, no, no, no, no. NO. Do not do any precision jumping hooplah like this even for something like this.



Slowdown.



Then this coin shows up, the screen will most definitely be scrolled in a way to where you cannot see where safe ground is, making this a blind jump.

No complaints on the fiery area? ...wow. Anyway, new ver. is up:
yep
I think this right link (YAY it rhymed!!).

I think I fixed the issues you mentioned MrDeePay.

I'm liking the idea as well as your execution of it. Most of my gripes are going to come from two aspects:

1. The difficulty of the burning half, and
2. How you've actually handled showing the burning half.

I recognize that you just got this level and you have a lot of time to touch up the finer details, so I'll break down what I noticed:


Oddly worded. Try something along the lines of:

THIS FOREST IS NOW UNDER NORVEG'S CONTROL AND WILL BE BURNT SHORTLY TO MAKE WAY FOR A NEW FACTORY.


That is an absolute nightmare to get, even by world 2's standards. Try removing either the left or right flame jet.


Too hard.


Also too hard, though simply getting rid of the Super Koopa can fix that.


This jump is also quite brutal.

What would be nice in the second half is a more "burnt" atmosphere. I know you said the graphics are still kind of a WIP, and I don't even think you need to draw anything new. Some palette alteration would work wonders here (greys, reds, and oranges rather than yellows and greens). As an added bonus, perhaps we can throw in the odd "quake" or wavy HDMA later on.

One other thing; that name you chose seems about as generic as you can get, especially compared to "Euphoric Eminence". Not only that, but another level also uses the suffix "Forest". It might be worth thinking up something new (or get some suggestions from people here) further down the road.

That's all. Keep up the good work and try to make those necessary changes.

Extras



I should have something witty to put here (even if it's just to update dated info), shouldn't I?

Advertising Space

I also want to point out the there are no power-ups whatsoever in the entire fire portion of the level. Hell, there's only ONE powerup in the entire level! You're kidding, right? There's no way you should expect a player to go through an already tough (World 2) level without taking any damage after the first power-up or even to get through the fire portion perfectly.

To add on to what SNN said, you might also want to consider ExAnimated palette colors to simulate the effect of a fire's glow for the burning area.

I haven't tested the level yet, but by the sounds of it, I should probably wait for another .ips to resolve all the issues with the burning area, as the feedback towards it seems very negative.

As for a level name... Incineration Invasion would've been perfect, but we've already got another level of incineration in World 8... Uh... I think I'll let someone else come up with one for a change.
Also some stuff that may help the atmosphere a little in the burning half, once you changed the palette to gray-red-brown-etc-ish, maybe you could apply a tiny bit of a darkness hdma gradient over the top of the screen (to emulate smoke) and then use the falling leaves cluster sprite to have little ashes raining down on the level.

Just a suggestion, of course.
Your layout has been removed.
I was actually going to request the code for the wavy HDMA + gradient, and the insertion of the Falling Leaves cluster sprite (I don't know how to insert cluster sprites :V).

Anyway, thanks for the feedback, guys, all issues S.N.N. and MrDeePay mentioned are now fixed, new version might be up by tomorrow.

EDIT: Also, what about the name "Blazing Brush"? Actually, I was thinking on "Combustion Chaparral", but there isn't support to that many characters (the "l" in "Chaparral" keeps missing :/), so... what about it?

Originally posted by Magiluigi
EDIT: Also, what about the name "Blazing Brush"? Actually, I was thinking on "Combustion Chaparral", but there isn't support to that many characters (the "l" in "Chaparral" keeps missing :/), so... what about it?


For a couple more suggestions, how about "Forest Fire Flora", or "Canopy Combustion"?
Though, out of the two you suggested, I'd go with "Blazing Brush".
Well, well, well...

IPS

Like I said, there it is, now TEST IT![or maybe not... well, it's up to you anyway ._____.]

Just tested your patch, and the first portion of the level looks fine, nothing I'd really change about it design-wise. Just a couple lil' things.



Advice -> Advise



The palette on these growing/shrinking pipe ends does not match the rest of the pipe.

The burning area... Well, I'm gonna be honest, I was playing sloppily today, but even so, I managed to get past this without too much difficulty... well as far as I could anyways.



I know the player will see this flame jet in advance, but even so, it seems a bit odd that this one flame jet has no floor indication that it will pop up from this spot.



What the heck? I get killed by something invisible when I try to get past this spot, and I don't know what it is! I checked Lunar Magic and I couldn't find anything that might've gotten me killed here!
Also, the firebar cuts off into the layer priority dirt in a very bad way. Maybe you should move it away from that dirt or find a different hazard to use.

I also encountered no midway point while testing this level, and it's starting to get rather lengthy in my opinion, especially for World 2 if this isn't even halfway through the level.
@GeminiRage:
Originally posted by GeminiRage
Advice -> Advise

Oh, thanks, fixed.

Originally posted by GeminiRage
The palette on these growing/shrinking pipe ends does not match the rest of the pipe.

Not my fault, if I change it, I'll have to change the global GFX... if I'm allowed to, I'll fix this.

Originally posted by GeminiRage
I know the player will see this flame jet in advance, but even so, it seems a bit odd that this one flame jet has no floor indication that it will pop up from this spot.

OK, fixed.

Originally posted by GeminiRage
What the heck? I get killed by something invisible when I try to get past this spot, and I don't know what it is! I checked Lunar Magic and I couldn't find anything that might've gotten me killed here!
Also, the firebar cuts off into the layer priority dirt in a very bad way. Maybe you should move it away from that dirt or find a different hazard to use.

Well, I just figured out why that weird glitch happens, for some weird reason, every sprite put there that isn't a firebar nor the bubble bouncer will make invisible 16x16 hurt blocks all over the screen... but I fixed it [removed the other sprites]. Also, you were very near to the second midway point.



Well, a new version might be up tomorrow.

I said I would, and so I did:

new IPS is up!

Yeah, now ignore the cutoff on the vertical area.

Pretty slight update.

And you still have to ignore the cutoff on the vertical area.

Oh! Almost forgot! I found the actual reason for the "Invisible Hurt Blocks All Over Screen" glitch... and fixed it.

Yep.

This isn't the best level ever made, but you're on to something here. It isn't "great", but I like what I see so far, and it certainly isn't bad.




There is a punctuation error here - try "WE ADVISE YOU TO LEAVE THIS AREA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR WHATEVER HAPPENS TO YOU. THANK YOU.".




..why is there a section + enemy behind where you start?




Use more ninji or whatever they're called things in your level. They'd add color.




I would suggest changing the fire sprite to match the ground ones.

...
also nice 9.




I have perfect vision and failed to immediately notice that burn mark whatsoever, so you might want to consider sizing it up a notch, even if it could just be me.




This jump is still pretty tough coming from the upper route. It could just be me since I suck at SMW, but removing that koopa wouldn't hurt.




Make this (half) of a 1up mushroom a bit harder to reach.



See above.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Overall, I liked this level. It seemed to be pretty straightforward and avoided being confusing in a bad way, so that's a good thing. I .. have nothing else to say, actually. Your sprite choices could be a bit more varied, but I liked this and will be looking forward to the next IPS.

Good luck.
Originally posted by Zero-X
There is a punctuation error here - try "WE ADVISE YOU TO LEAVE THIS AREA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR WHATEVER HAPPENS TO YOU. THANK YOU.".

OK, fixed.

Originally posted by Zero-X
..why is there a section + enemy behind where you start?

Cutscene will explain it.

Originally posted by Zero-X
Use more ninji or whatever they're called things in your level. They'd add color.

OK, then. And yes, they're called "Ninji(s)".

Originally posted by Zero-X
I would suggest changing the fire sprite to match the ground ones.

...
also nice 9.


That'd be hard... but I'll see what I can do about it. And I think that the glitched sprite thingy will be fixed... you know, S.N.N. could apply the patch Roy made that fixes this.

Originally posted by Zero-X
I have perfect vision and failed to immediately notice that burn mark whatsoever, so you might want to consider sizing it up a notch, even if it could just be me.


Fixed... kind of.

Originally posted by Zero-X
This jump is still pretty tough coming from the upper route. It could just be me since I suck at SMW, but removing that koopa wouldn't hurt.


OK, I removed the Koopa.

Originally posted by Zero-X
*complaints regardin the 1UP and SMWC Coin*

I'll see what can I do about it.

Originally posted by Zero-X
(...)Your sprite choices could be a bit more varied(...)


I tried to vary them up... but I couldn't :/


Well, anyway thanks. Now... ... ...who will make the HDMA special effects?


EDIT: Also Zero-X, take .PNG screenshots next time... just saying. #w{=D}

I can bug Jimmy about the HDMA, He's pretty quick with making simple effects like that (you want something wavy, right?)
Yep, I want something wavy (and if possible, with some red gradient on the bottom).

Complete